Having trouble implementing best file organization practices at new company 3

[DaveDGuy]

Hello all,

As the title states, I recently started at a new company as one of the only M.E. among all other software engineers. The company has an existing product line of machines, which often require custom add-ons or configuration designs depending on the application/job at hand. We are using Solidworks for all part/assembly design.

There is currently not a great file organization system in place. Some project folders have different file structures than others, which have all been managed by a single engineer who has been there for quite a long time, and it seems they have been trying different things between projects but it's clear that everything looks 'experimental' and all over the place. I would like to clean all of this up to something that is reasonable and consistent based on what I have seen at past companies in my career, but am receiving considerable backlash any time I make suggestions. I would like to have the folder structure match the structure of subassemblies in the design, so organize the parts/drawings/related files for each subassembly and place them into their own subfolders, so when needing to find a drawing or previous revision for a particular part, you know what subassembly it belongs to and therefore can do easily navigate to that subassembly folder in the file explorer. This is how things were done at my previous company, and it worked great in practice as I've seen over many years.

The argument I'm receiving against this is that it would take too much effort to 'have to think about how things are organized when designing', even though in practice, this has been a pretty effortless and 'good enough' method to work for all types of design structures in my experience. I'm now trying to logically answer the question of why can't one just use the search tool in file explorer, why should one have to know where it is in file explorer if it takes longer to set up that folder structure in the first place. That it would take longer to click through some folders rather than just using the search tool or by finding it within the 3D software environment. I've tried arguing the importance of consistency and keeping things organized in the file explorer, not just in the 3D environment, but cannot seem to change any minds. Is there any advice out there on how I can argue how important it is to keep your files organized, so that you don't have to messily search through folders to find a part? I thought I was quite experienced in my career thus far... but this is a whole new learning experience... regarding standing up for what I really know will be best, but I can't tangibly prove it without putting in the work to change everything first

 

[mfgenggear]

wow what a bunch of good advice, to me free software is the way to go. no license, no expensive fees.
since the beginning of time, I work with mrp systems that use the Christmas tree style to show the parts list. but never file data that way. it was all flat., but for preventing to much junk, it was filed under a model #, program or ect.that way it kept the clutter, down, for me it was customer specific data, so the sub folders were under customer, but could be projects or model #'s

 

[mfgenggear]

there is so many variables, configuration control, model #, approved drawings, or r & d, I worked company's that had terrible configuration control, and lost the correct designs that were proven and approved. big companies have to maintain not only configuration control, customers, same model except with specific requirements, and ship sets. and date that stuff needs to be shipped. or has shiped, then there is the $$$$. cost of, and suppliers, and more than can be explained here,